Apparatus for making a joint in a flat metal sleeve for overlapping portions of metal strapping



Jan. 10, 1950 w, c, GILLMAN 2,494,386

APPARATUS FOR MAKING A JOINT IN'-A FLAT METAL SLEEVE FOR OVERLAPPING PORTIONS OF METAL STRAPPING Original Filed Nov. 25, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 10, 1950 w. C..GILLMAN 2,494,386

. APPARATUS FOR MAKING A JOINT IN A FLAT METAL SLEEVE FOR OVERLAPPING PORTIONS OF METAL STRAPPING Original Filed Nov. 25, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 10, 1950 APPARATUS FOR MAKING A JOINT IN A vFLAT METAL SLEEVE FOR OVERLAPPING PORTIONS OF METAL STRAPPIN G William Charles Gillman, Hanwell, London, England, assignor to Packers Supply Company Limited, New Malden, Surrey County, England, a company of Great Britain Original application November 25,1944, Serial No. 565,135. Divided and this application November 28,:1945, Serial No. 631,321. In Great Britain October 23, 1943 2 Claims.

This invention relates to an apparatus for use in making joints of binding straps tensioned around a box, case, package or the like, and of the kind consisting of a generally flat sleeve, which may be bent from a channel-section clip in such manner that the sleeve is interrupted along the longitudinal centre line of one face, and which embraces overlapping portions of the binding strap, these overlapping portions being locked in the sleeve by the application of dies with pressure at both faces of the sleeve to indent the superimposed layers formed by the sleeve and the overlapping portions in a manner preventing relative longitudinal movement.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved apparatus whereby a joint of neat-appearance is easily made having in each longitudinal margin of the joint at least two indentations spaced apart longitudinally in one of the generally fiat faces of the sleeve and one indentation in the other generally flat face of the sleeve and disposed between said two indentations.

The improved jointing apparatus according to the invention comprises a body, a die fixedly mounted on said body, two sets of projections on the working face of said die adapted to form two sets of indentions on one face of the joint to be formed, a pair of levers pivotally mounted on the body, working die faces on each of said levers adapted, when the levers are rocked about their pivots to co-operate with the fixed die to clench the joint, and projections on the working die face of each of said levers adapted to form indentations on the other face of the joint.

The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figs. 1 and 2 are views from opposite faces of one preferred form of joint for the overlapping ends of metal strapping adapted to be produced by the apparatus according to the invention.

Fig. 3 is a view in perspective showing a form of channel-section clip adapted to be applied over the overlapping ends of the strap and bent to form the generally flat sleeve.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the produced joint,

on a larger scale and taken on the line 44 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a view in side elevation of the improved apparatus according to the invention, for forming such a joint between the overlapping ends of metal strapping, the apparatus shown including means for tensioning the strapping around a box, case, bale, package or the like as a preliminary to the joint forming operation.

Fig. 5a is a sectional view taken on the lin 5a-5a of Fig. 5.

Fig. 6 is a view in sectional elevation of the joint forming means taken on the line 5-6 of Fig. 5,

Fig. '7 is a view of a part of the mechanism shown in Fig. Gwith the joint forming parts in different positions, and

Figs. 8 and 9 are views of the upper and lower die and indenting members, Fig. 9 being taken on the-line 9-9 of Fig. 7.

In the joint according to Figs. 1 to 4, l and 2 represent the overlapping ends of metalstrapping to be joined, a convenient and usual ma terial being mild steel in. in width and 26 S. W. G (0.018 in.)-thickness. The sleeve 3 enveloping the overlapping ends! and Zmay be about 7 in. long, being formed in the case illus trated by the application of a channel-section clip of the form shown in Fig. 3, of mild steel and the same gauge as the strapping, to the overlapping ends I and 2 and bending the side walls 4, 5, to form a tube interrupted along the longitudinal centre line of one face as shown at 6 in Fig. 2. The sleeve may however be of uninterrupted tubular form and the strapping threaded through it as a preliminary to tensioning and jointing.

In the face of the sleeve 3 which forms the base of the clip, and along each border thereof are formed a set of three indentations 1, B and 9 (Fig. 2) the two sets being symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal centre line of the joint. As an example, the middle indentation 8 of each set is about 5 in. long and spaced about A, in. from the end indentations l and 9 of the same set which are'about in. long.

In the other face 4, 5 of the sleeve 3 are formed two symmetrical sets each of two indentations I0, I! and the two indentations Ill, ll of each set, which are about in. long, are directly opposite the two intervals between the indentations 1, 8 and 9 on the same border of the first mentioned face.

All the indentations 1, 8, 9, l0 and II may be of the same uniform width throughout their length and tapering both in width, and length, from the surface level of the sleeve 3 to a blunt longitudinal ridge at their tips (Fig. 4).

It will be clearly seen from Fig. 4 that the superimposed layers composed of the upper and lower sides of the sleeve and the two enclosed strap ends I and 2 are thus joggled along the lines of the indentations 1, 8, 9, I0 and H intoa substantially square topped wave form without severing of the material and consequently with little or no reduction of the tensile strength thereof.

An example of an apparatus according to the invention for making such a joint is illustrated in Figs. -9 the embodiment as illustrated including means of known kind for tensioning the strap about a box, bale, case or the like.

The apparatus comprises a structure including a base I2 adapted to rest on the box, case or the like to be bound by the strapping, a spring biased pawl I3 mounted above the base and adapted to hold the end I of the strapping against the base I2 and to prevent longitudinal movement of the end I during the strap tensioning operation and a second spring biased pawl l4 mounted above the base and adapted to engage the overlapping end 2 of the strapping in such a manner that while permitting said overlapping end 2 to move in one longitudinal direction over the base l2 during the operation of tensioning the strapping around the box or the like, movement of said overlapping end 2 in the reverse direction is prevented by the gripping of said end 2 between the base I2 and the said second pawl I4.

The strap tensioning means comprises a block I5 pivoted for rocking movements at I5 on an upper part of the structure, and a hand lever I6 pivoted on the block I5 at I6 and having an arcuate extension I1 at one end adapted to cooperate with a lateral extension I8 on the block Hi to grip and move the end 2 of the strapping to tension it as the hand lever I6 is rocked in one direction i. e. in the clockwise direction into the position shown in Fig. 5. Movement of the hand lever in the reverse direction releases the grip of parts I1 and I8 on the strapping, these parts sliding relatively to the strapping to engage and grip the end 2 of the strapping at a new point when the hand lever I6 is again moved in the direction to tension it.

The means according to the invention for joining the ends I and 2 of the tensioned strapping with a joint of the kind illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4 is as follows:

A hollow metal body I9 (Figs. 5, 6 and '7) is mounted for up and down movements in guides provided on an inclined transversely disposed surface on a pillar 2| (Fig. 5) upstanding from the rear portion of the base I2.

A lever 22 is pivoted at 23 on the body I9 and the arrangement is such that the body may be raised into the position shown in Fig. 5 against a stop 24 by rocking the lever 22 clockwise into the position shown, said lever engaging a part 25 of the pillar 2| forming a fulcrum. The body I9 moves downwards by gravity when the lever 22 is moved in the reverse direction.

In the lower end of the body I9 is provided a bridge piece 26 forming a support for a die 21 having a substantially flat working face provided with six projections 28 (Figs. 6 and 8) for forming the two sets of three indentations I, 8, 9 in one side of the joint shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4.

The two opposite longitudinal sides of the die 21 are recessed as shown at 29 (Fig. 8)

Two levers 30, 3| are pivotally mounted in the body I9 for rocking movements about parallel axes formed by two pins 32 disposed respectively on opposite sides of the die 21 and above the plane of its working surface.

The lower ends of levers 30, 3| in the lowered position of body I9 move in an aperture I2 provided in the base I2. Each lever 39, 3| is recessed on its inner side near the lower end as shown at 33 and in the lower side of the recess 33 is formed a die 34 (Figs. 6, 7 and 9) having a substantially fiat working face provided with two projections 35 for forming one or other of the two sets of two indentations I0, II of the joint shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4.

The levers 30, 3| at their upper ends are pivotally connected through toggle links 36 with a plunger 3'! guided for up and down movements in the body I, perpendicular to the face of the die 21.

The plunger 3! is provided with rack teeth 38 meshing with a pinion 40B attached to the pivot spindle 23 which moves with the lever 22, so that levers 39, 3| are rocked about the pivots formed by pins 32 by continued movement of lever 22 in a counterclockwise direction in Fig. 5

after the body I9 has been lowered.

The teeth of the pinion are however interrupted so that driving engagement with the rack teeth 38 does not occur until the lever 22 has been rocked to move the body I9 into its lowcred position.

On the inner face of each lever 30, 3| is mountr ed a fixed blade 39 of limited width, the end of which projects slightly below the level of the face of the die 2?, when the levers 30, 3| are in the rest position shown in Fig. 6.

In operation, with the tool resting on the surface of the box or like body 48 (Fig. 5) to be bound, the metal strapping is arranged around the box, with the overlapping ends I and 2 over the base plate I2, and tensioned by rocking lever I6 to and fro as previously described. During these preliminary operations the hollow body I9 is in the raised position shown in Figs. 5 and 6, with the die 2'! on the hollow body I9 spaced above the strapping and the dies 34 on levers 30, 3| outside the planes containing the longitudinal edges of the strapping.

Tensioning being completed, a channel section clip of the form shown in Fig. 3 is placed in position below body I9 with its base towards the face of die 21 and the channe1 walls 4, 5 disposed on opposite sides of the overlapping ends I and 2 0f the strapping.

The hand lever 22 is now rocked counterclockwise in Fig. 5 to first permit the body iii to move downwards and thereafter to lower the plunger 31 to move the toggle links 36 and the levers 30, 3| to make the joint.

As the levers 38, 3| are rocked from the position of Fig. 6 to that of Fig. 7, the dies 34 thereon engage the sides 4, 5 of the clip 3. The base of the clip is urged against the die 21 and the sides 4, 5 bent up against the underside of the overlapping portion of the strapping.

In the meantime however the ends of the blades 39 on the levers 39, 3| have moved into a position where they project into the recesses 29 at each side of die 21 (Fig. '7) and over the edges of the base of the clip 3.

As the toggle links 36 and levers 30, 3| attain the position of maximum mechanical advantage, the faces of the dies 34 come substantially parallel with the face of the die 2! on the hollow body I9 (Fig. 7) at such a distance therefrom that the clip 3 is securely clenched into the required sleeve form around the overlapping ends I and 2 of the strapping and the projections 28 and 35 on the cooperating dies 21 and 34 form the indentations l, 8, 9, I8 and II of the joint.

A swinging movement of the lever 22 returns the levers 30, 3| to the open position and during this movement the ends of the blades 39 on the levers 30, 3| engage the edges of the now flattened clip or sleeve 3 from above and disengage the joint from the die 21.

The pawls I3 and M are disengaged from the strap in the usual manner and the tool moved to slide the base l2 from beneath the tensioned and jointed strap.

In the construction illustrated the lever 22 is provided with a long slot 4|, into which lever 16 may enter as the lever 22 is moved in the counterclockwise direction to make the joint.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for making a joint with a flat metal sleeve for overlapping portions of metal strapping, comprising a body, a die fixedly mounted on said body, two sets of projections on the working face of said die and extending in a direction away from said face, said projections being adapted to form two sets of indentations on one face of the joint to be formed, a pair of levers pivotally mounted on the body, a working die face on each of said levers opposed to said first mentioned working die face, adapted, when the levers are rocked about their pivots, to co-operate with the fixed die to clench the joint, and projections on the working die face of each of said levers, said projections extending in a direction away from the die faces of said levers and towards the face of the fixed die and being adapted to form the indentations on the other face of the joint; two projections, one on each of the pivoted levers, said projections moving with the pivoted levers and extending, in the same general direction as the two sets of projections on the fixed die, towards the surface of the joint adjacent the fixed die when the levers are in the clenching position, and engaging said surface, near its edge, by moving through the plane of the working face of the fixed die and in a general direction away from said face during return movement of the levers after formation of the joint, to disengage the joint from the fixed die.

2. Apparatus for making a joint with a flat metal sleeve for overlapping portions of metal strapping comprising a body, a pair of levers pivotally mounted on said body, means for rocking said levers, a first die fixedly mounted on said body, sets of projections on the working face of said die and extending in a direction away from said face, said projections being adapted to indent the superposed layers in the joint during the clenching operation, a second die movable with respect to the first die, said second die being constituted by a working die face on each of said levers and being adapted, when the levers are rocked in one direction about their pivots, to cooperate with the fixed die to clench the joint, and further projections, one on each of the pivoted levers, said projections moving with the pivoted levers and extending in the same general direction as the projections on the fixed die, towards the surface of the joint adjacent the fixed die when the levers are in the clenching position and engaging said surface near its edges by moving through the plane of the working surface of the fixed die and in a general direction away from the said face on the fixed die during return movement of the levers after formation of the joint, to disengage the joint from the fixed die.

WILLIAM CHARLES GILLMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,362,068 Wise Dec. 14, 1920 1,809,480 Glardon June 9, 1931 2,007,781 Webster July 9, 1935 2,065,427 Carlson Dec. 22, 1936 2,113,757 Bletso Apr. 12, 1938 2,283,827 Spencer May 19, 1942 2,324,609 Watt July 20, 1943 2,368,969 Cleveland Feb. 6, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 328,983 Great Britain May 8, 1930 750,759 France June 6, 1933 

